


do i wanna know? (if this feeling flows both ways)

by tunecuck



Category: Day6 (Band)
Genre: Angst, Angst and Feels, Angst with a Happy Ending, Attempt at Humor, Best Friends, Fluff, Getting Together, Love Confessions, M/M, Tooth-Rotting Fluff
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-10-05
Updated: 2018-10-21
Packaged: 2019-07-25 15:29:39
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 3
Words: 5,123
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/16200380
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/tunecuck/pseuds/tunecuck
Summary: jaehyung realises that he's hopelessly in love with his childhood best friend of 15 years, kang younghyun.





	1. Chapter 1

**Author's Note:**

> song to bop to while you read this: with you by the rose

“jae? are you alright?” younghyun worriedly asks jaehyung. jaehyung, who is awkwardly swirling the straw of his too-cold strawberry milkshake (with almond milk).

a part of jaehyung wishes that he never asked. because, since younghyun had asked, he’s forced to tear his gaze from the drink in his hands to look at younghyun. to respond to his question. and doing so would mean _facing_ him. facing his obvious crush on younghyun; meaning that jaehyung would meet his eyes and would therefore end up drowning in his dark orbs and obviously, painfully be reminded of his pitiful, very much hopeless and unrequited crush on his best friend of 15 years. it would remind him of how the love reflected in younghyun’s eyes for him was purely platonic, and nothing more. the only love in them was for the one currently glued to his arm, as they all sat together in a cozy cafe a stone’s throw away from campus.

“i’m fi-“ jaehyung forces out, mouth suddenly dry. the words catch in his throat and refuse to spill past his lips.

his lips quirk up in a pained smile as the sad realisation hits him:

_no. i can’t lie to myself. lie to younghyun._

“i’m just having a splitting headache right now. i’m really sorry, but i think i need to head back to my dorm to rest.”

“...oh! do you want me to walk you back-“

“no! it’s fine!” the scraping noise of his chair being pushed back slices the air, and it stills younghyun’s movement of standing up. the outstretched hand lightly holding onto jaehyung’s flannel falls back to younghyun’s side. “i’m so sorry that i have to go like this when i finally got to meet you both! i’ll meet you guys... next time.”

jaehyung barely lingers long enough to politely acknowledge the nod and kind “take care!” of the person wrapped around younghyun to brisk-walk out of the cafe.

jaehyung misses younghyun’s eyes following him as he exits the cafe, and how it continues to remain fixated on the door even after he’s long gone. he also misses how younghyun detangles the pair of arms looped around his waist off him before standing up and getting out of his seat.

 

 

 _i’m in love with my best friend. kang younghyun_ . the thought keeps circling around in jaehyung’s mind as he anxiously hurries his way down the sidewalk as quickly as he can. _without looking like a freak, obviously_ , but it’s difficult, when his cheeks are ablaze and he’s sure that whoever spares a glance would surely know of his secret ( _actually, doesn't wonpil know about it since he's always asking me??_ ) - his secret that he loves his best friend, kang younghyun.

being in the cafe with him earlier was almost suffocating to jaehyung. since when had he fallen for his best friend?

reaching his dorm, jaehyung quickly fished out his keys from his wallet before slotting them into its keyhole. he frantically opens the door and lets himself in, nearly forgetting to lock the door as his back leans against the oakwood door and his legs give out beneath him.

 _fuck_. he, park jaehyung is in love with his bestfriend, kang younghyun.

_but he doesn’t love me back._

jaehyung lifts an arm to cover his face and lets out a groan as memories of the two previous nights before overwhelm him.

 

 

_[11:13]_

_**bribri:** jae!!!!!_

_**bribri:** jaejaejaeeeeeeee_

 

_[11:14]_

_**jaehyungie:**????_

_**jaehyungie:** wa_

_**jaehyungie:** t_

_**bribri:** i’m like in love!!_

_**bribri:** [image attached]_

_**bribri:** [image attached]_

_**bribri:** look at our texts!!_

 

 

_lamely, jaehyung lifts a hand to his chest; his fingers hovering over where his heart would be. he lets out a shaky exhale as he notices that he's trembling._

 

 

_[11:15]_

_**jaehyungie:** ohhh_

_**jaehyungie:** is it who i think it is_

_**jaehyungie:** like_

_**jaehyungie:** the one you kept showing me pics of the other day?_

_**bribri:** yeah_

_**bribri:** i’m seriously so_

_**bribri:** uwu_

_**jaehyungie:** aW man!!_

_**jaehyungie:** i’m so happy for you!_

 

_[11:16]_

_**bribri:** [image attached]_

_**bribri:** [image attached]_

_**bribri:** i’m seriously so happy. and guess what_

_**jaehyungie:** ??_

_**bribri:** they asked me out_

_**bribri:** srsly i’m so_

_**bribri:** i don’t know how to say it but i know that this time... this won’t just be some stupid fling_

_**bribri:** [image attached]_

_**bribri:** [image attached]_

 

  
_the dimly-lit screen of jaehyung’s phone swam out of his focus and he blinked slowly. as his eyes fluttered back into focus, jaehyung noted that the display of his phone is no longer lit up._

 

 

_[11:18]_

_**bribri** : [image attached]_

_**bribri** : [image attached]_

 

  
_his phone vibrated in his hands and chimed throughout the room, signalling to jaehyung that he had received a message from his best friend. somehow, he didn’t feel like he could manage to give younghyun a reply._

_in one quick motion, jaehyung swiftly chucked his phone onto his bed carelessly._

_he had thought that the soft thud his phone makes as it fell onto his pillow had rightfully matched the dull sound resounding in his chest when he had first (not the sad, subsequent few that followed after when jaehyung had cried himself to sleep that night. or the next few after) received younghyun’s message._

_perhaps, park jaehyung did actually have a crush on his childhood best friend, kang younghyun. perhaps, he wasn’t a ‘straightie’ like he had always insisted to wonpil. (“snake!” “sure, hyung! but i see the way you look at-“ “shut up, snake!”) perhaps, park jaehyung did indeed have feelings for his best friend, kang younghyun._ _if not, then why was he feeling like his heart just been ripped right out of his chest? why did it seem like his world had just crumbled under him?_

 

 

the recollection of the startling clarity of his true feelings pulls jaehyung out of his bittersweet reverie.

 

_but he doesn’t love me back._


	2. Chapter 2

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> “it’s fine. i understand if you need space sometimes... but just - please do let me know if there’s anything i can do for you. i was really worried when you weren’t talking to me... and... why it was just specifically me...” younghyun’s voice cracks at the last syllable, and jaehyung’s heart tears apart even more knowing that his selfishness and inability to cope with his feelings is what has made younghyun so upset and vulnerable.
> 
> jaehyung attempts to deal with his feelings for younghyun.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> kinda?? scanned through this for a quick edit??? so there are probably some mistakes but oh well

_[10:19]_

_**bribri:** _ jae????

_**bribri:**_ i came over to your dorm last night and you weren’t there

_**bribri:**_ what’s going on?

 

_[10:20]_

_**bribri:**_ i’ve not heard from you since last friday night

_**bribri:**_ is something up???

 

_[10:24]_

_**bribri:**_ i can see you reading my messages, you kno 

 

_[10:25]_

_**bribri:**_ please talk to me

_**bribri:**_ imy :(

 

 

jaehyung spares his phone screen another glance as it buzzes alive in his hands, alerting him of his best friend’s numerous texts. scanning through the messages, he can’t help but feel a twinge of sadness pierce through his heart.

he’s been getting heaps of texts like these over the last few days from younghyun - asking where he’s been, whether or not he’s doing okay, and how much younghyun misses him. with a small sigh, jaehyung forces himself to not allow his eyes to linger any longer on the screen after he’s finished reading his texts. instead, he leaves his phone on silent and slides it into the pocket of his jeans as he saunters up to jimin who stands outside the doors to their calculus class.

“you’re late,” jimin announces as she lifts a manicured hand to the glass doors leading into the large lecture hall and swings them open. “can’t believe that you’re  _still_ late to meet up with me, when i’ve been doing you the favour of letting you squeeze your skinny ass between yerin and i after your recent decision of ditching your usual seat with brian over the last four days.”

letting out a sheepish laugh, jaehyung begins to utter out an apology when jimin cuts in. 

“i’m not actually mad, you know. do you think i’m petty?” jimin scoffs, strutting ahead of jaehyung as she steps into the lecture theater with him following after her. “you just owe me coffee to compensate for all the times you’ve sat with us this week; meaning that you’re paying for my order at  _soulcup_  after class.”

“yea, yea. i know - repaying  _god-sent jimin’s wonderfully kind act_  with coffee seems absolutely reasonable-“

at the comment, jimin stops in her tracks to let out a loud (yet still reasonably respectful) bark of laughter.

“but,” jaehyung’s eyebrows furrow together as he peers down at jimin. “but why after class?” 

“i mean, aren’t you going to tell me how you’re planning to resolve... whatever issue you that you’re having with brian right now?” jimin phrases the question like a statement. she doesn’t let jaehyung stutter out a reply when she points to yerin sitting alone by the front of the room.

“yerin’s over there. let’s go.”

jimin leaves jaehyung standing stock still with his mouth agape as she strolls over to yerin’s side before sliding into the seat next to her.

 

 

“don’t you just love  _soulcup_? they’ve got these wonderful, recyclable, environmentally-friendly cups, which is fantastic! did you know that just a few days ago, the un has warned that we only have twelve years to limit climate change? these cups? by  _soulcup_? it’s _soul_ -good!-“ jaehyung rambles, animatedly lifting up his empty drink cup and waving it about in the air.

“jae-“ jimin sighs, pinching her nose bridge. she had expected jaehyung to be like this - talking about anything and everything, in hopes of distracting her from asking him about younghyun and him. 

however, jaehyung ignores her; with his voice lilting up a pitch as he talks over her. “like, i love my chamomile blueberry tea-“

“jae,” jimin says easily, but it’s firm and it makes jaehyung waver; dropping his rant on the goodness of  _soulcup_. “i, too, love being environmentally-friendly,” whipping out a rose gold metal straw from her shoulder bag, jimin swiftly jabs it into the plastic cover of her iced vanilla latte. “and  _soulcup_ , but we have other things to discuss.” 

“so,” jimin gives jaehyung a reassuring smile before continuing, “why are you avoiding brian?” 

“what do you mean?” jaehyung decides that playing dumb would be the best way to avoid the matter with jimin; to disregard the ache in his heart. he thinks it’s silly, really, but hasn’t been able to face younghyun since that day in the cafe. he feels pathetic for having his hopeless, unrequited crush on his best friend plague his mind to the extent in which jaehyung isn’t sure that he can properly function anywhere near younghyun now. the mere thought of his best friend just so happens to aggravate the searing pain in his chest; knowing that jaehyung can’t have him, since younghyun’s heart does not belong with him.

so, all jaehyung can do is pretend that younghyun doesn’t exist. thus, it means that jaehyung has been avoiding him at all costs - ignoring his incessant texts and calls and pretending that jaehyung definitely does not see younghyun lingering by the door after a handful of his classes.

“i mean,” jimin pauses to flick her wrist in a circle, which sends the ice cubes in her drink swirling about. “why you’re avoiding your crush-“

as the words spill from jimin’s mouth, surprise washes over jaehyung. jimin notes how the face of the boy in front of her flushes red and how his eyes widen comically. 

“it’s pretty obvious, jae. for starters, the way you stare at him every time he falls into your line of sight is a huge giveaway-“

jaehyung interrupts jimin with a loud groan, dropping his head into his hands.

“you’re so whipped.”

“you mean so _fucked_? god, jimin, i don’t know how to face him, with my stupid feelings and all. and... it’s really so stupid, you know? brian is my best friend, and he has been for the past fifteen years, yet somehow...- when i suddenly came to  _epiphany_  or whatever that i‘m sort-of in love with him - i found myself no longer being able to face him... and all of  _this_  had to at the moment where he happens to  _really_  like someone else...”

“jae...” jaehyung feels a pair of hands wrap around his wrists, gently tugging his hands away from his face. he looks up to see jimin smiling at him. “i know what you’re going through, and i understand that it hurts - but you can’t keep ignoring brian forever. you’ve got to push through this, no matter what it costs your heart. you deserve to be happy - i hate seeing you sad.”

“jimin,” jaehyung says, overwhelmed by jimin’s sincerity. he and jimin have been friends for years now, and while the nature of their friendship usually houses playful banter and good-natured teasing, jaehyung knows that jimin is a real friend he can depend on when he really needs it. however moments like such tend to be an uncommon rarity. “thank you. i owe you like, even more coffee now,” jaehyung replies, his voice dripping with fondness for his friend.

jimin shakes her head and lets out a laugh, as she picks up her cup and sips her drink. “yea, you do. you have to update me on what’s going on between you and brian, okay?”

before jaehyung can reply, his phone vibrates in his jeans pocket. jaehyung fishes his phone out from his pocket and visibly blanches when he reads the message displayed on his phone screen.

 

 

_[1:49]_

**pirrie:** brian is @ our dorm

**pirrie:** come home soon, hyung, bc he wants to talk to you ,,, and APPARENTLY, he doesn’t ! plan ! on leaving anytime soon!!!

 

 

“what is it?” jimin asks, despite already having an vague inkling as to what was going on. “brian?”

with some trepidation, jaehyung shows jimin the messages he’s received and knows that the hard stare jimin’s about to throw at him is meant to tell him that he now has the perfect opportunity to settle things with brian - to talk to him and deal with his feelings.

as he’s guessed, jimin does shoot him a look that says  _youbetterbeatyourassbacktoyourdorm_  to  _settlethingswithbrian_

“okay, okay,” jaehyung raises his hands up in surrender; answering the unspoken question twinkling in her eyes. “i - i think it’s best to be honest.” 

jaehyung’s words seem to satisfy jimin, who beams at him as he stands up noisily and bids her goodbye.

“let me know what happens!” jaehyung hears jimin holler as he dashes out of  _soulcup._  

 

 

jaehyung heads back to his dorm, and just as he slots his key into the lock, the door suddenly swings open to reveal younghyun, who looks extremely frantic and anxious.

“bri-“ jaehyung begins, but falters when younghyun wraps his wrist in a gentle yet firm hold around jaehyung's and tugs him into the dorm. younghyun pulls him into his room after promptly shutting the door close and locking it. 

the warmth around jaehyung’s right wrist stuns him silence and he feels his heart rate pick up. he barely manages to stutter out a greeting to wonpil, who lounges on the couch with his laptop on his lap. 

everything from then on seems to be a blur to jaehyung, as they head into his room.

 

 

“so - any reason for ignoring me?” younghyun asks, breaking the silence which has long enveloped the two. “you can tell me anything... you know that, right jae?”

“i know, i know...” jaehyung sighs, awkwardly shifting his gaze around the room, refusing to look younghyun in the eye. he knows that once he meets younghyun’s gaze, he’d drown in his dark irises; and the misery of his unrequited crush will wound him even deeper than before. he prays that younghyun doesn’t somehow pick up the loud thumping of his heart hammering against his chest at their close proximity - they’re sitting together side-by-side on jaehyung’s bed; so close that they their shoulders meet and the slightest moment causes their knees to brush against each other. 

“it’s just... some things have been bothering me recently...” jaehyung mumbles, tentatively clasping his hands together in his lap, wondering in his mind whether or not the conversation will end on a bad note; with both one of them leaving the room with heavy hearts.

“well, whatever it is, you can always talk to me about it, yeah? when you’re comfortable to, i mean. i’ll always be here for you.” 

younghyun wraps a steady arm around jaehyung, and he leans into his touch carefully. carefully, lest jaehyung’s heart potentially shatter even more when he remembers that younghyun’s touch is purely platonic.  _that his feelings towards him are only platonic._

“I’m sorry for ignoring you. i shouldn’t have, even if i was caught up with my own problems.”

“it’s fine. i understand if you need space sometimes... but just - please do let me know if there’s anything i can do for you. i was really worried when you weren’t talking to me... and... why it was just specifically me...” younghyun’s voice cracks at the last syllable, and jaehyung’s heart tears apart even more knowing that his selfishness and inability to cope with his feelings is what has made younghyun so upset and vulnerable.

jaehyung feels his eyes begin to water, and he bites the inside of his cheek in a futile attempt to keep his tears at bay. he lets out a sniffle, which jaehyung is sure sounds pathetic, which goes unnoticed by younghyun, who brings a pair of soft hands to wipe the tears which now flow-freely down his face. 

“i’ll tell you someday... just - i’m so s-sorry, b-brian.”

“i know. it’s alright, jae. everything will be fine in the end, okay?”

 

 

and everything returns to normal, with jaehyung sobbing into younghyun’s chest as the latter circles his arms around the older’s waist and rocks them back gently. eventually, jaehyung stops crying, and younghyun leaves.

everything falls back into routine, with jaehyung and younghyun continuing to be the best of friends, even with jaehyung’s brittle and broken heart knocking heavily in his chest. 

that is, until younghyun's message comes in two weeks later -

 

 

_[9:43]_

_**bribri:** [image attached]_

_**bribri:** [image attached]_

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> stay tuned for chapter 3 :-)  
> please let me know what you thought of this chapter!


	3. Chapter 3

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> younghyun dials sungjin’s number with shaking fingers. his voice is laced with trepidation, as he confesses to sungjin, “help, sungjin. i’m in a dilemma... i think i’m in love with jae.”
> 
> “uh... i’m not sungjin.”
> 
> fuck. that voice really doesn’t belong to sungjin. it’s-
> 
> jaehyung clears his throat awkwardly. “bribri?”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> i finally decided to name the girlie.... ayeon ,,,  
> *cue shouldn't have by baek a yeon !!!
> 
> i’ve not properly scanned thru everyth yet,,, only glancing through,, so forgive me for any mistakes. i’ll get round to ensuring things are all fine and dandy when i have the chance!

younghyun thinks that a part of him had already seen this coming.  _this_ , being the inevitable short, clipped text displayed on his screen.

 

_[9:32]_

_**ayeon:**_ we need to talk

**_ayeon:_ ** are you available right now?

 

younghyun doesn’t answer her text. instead, he simply unlocks his phone, punches in ayeon’s number and rings her number. ayeon answers almost immediately, her voice cutting through the speaker well before the first ring ends.

“younghyun!”

“ayeon-“

“i’m sorry, i-“

“i think that we're both gonna be saying the same thing, right? you’re not really interested in me, because you’re in love with someone else.” ayeon’s voice is light; despite the slight edge in it. she says the words like how a parent would chastise their stubborn child after they’ve committed a mistake which they had already anticipated long-beforehand; disappointed, yet not surprised.

at the comment, younghyun instaneously wonders about all the times he had neglected or ditched ayeon in favour of jaehyung. or rather, _looking_ for jaehyung.

the first instance had been that day at the cafe, when jaehyung was meeting ayeon with younghyun for the very first time - after seeing jaehyung hurriedly rush out of the cafe, younghyun had quickly leapt from his seat after prying off the warm hands encircling his waist. just as he was about to make a move to follow after jaehyung, ayeon’s had tugged on his forearm urgently.

_“don’t worry about jaehyung. he’ll be fine.”_

younghyun had hesitantly slid back into his seat, brushing off the tightening in his chest as nothing more besides the worry of his best friend’s wellbeing.

the second time it had happened, it was when he was getting coffee with ayeon in the cafe, two days after the incident with jaehyung in the cafe; two days since younghyun had last heard from him - since that day in the cafe, jaehyung had stopped replying to his texts and declined every call from younghyun. when he had asked wonpil to help him ask jaehyung on his behalf if anything was wrong, wonpil had told him that jaehyung wouldn’t tell him anything.

when the silver bells hung above the cafe entrance had chimed, younghyun had thrown a glance over to the door. by the door stood jaehyung, with woosung and matthew flanked by his side. the trio had been engaged in loud, boisterous laughter, when jaehyung was abruptly rendered speechless upon noticing younghyun staring at him from his seat with ayeon.

younghyun thinks it’s ironic, how he was currently seated at the exact same seat where he was just two days ago with ayeon and jaehyung, when he spots jaehyung waltzing in through the door. it feels like the scene of jaehyung dashing out of the cafe had been redone, jaehyung instead sauntering right back into the cafe; as if he had never left.

“jae!” younghyun had called out to jaehyung, moving to go over to him, when younghyun heard him jump to persuade woosung, in a jumbled string of words, to order his drink for him, before quickly spilling out a muffled whisper ( _attempted_  to whisper, because jaehyung is naturally loud) , begging the shorter boy  _please sammy i’ll love you so much i’ll even pay for your drink okay i promise_  before pulling on matthew’s sleeve and dragging him out of the cafe.

again, younghyun felt his chest constrict. he had watched on through the clear windows, how jaehyung was bouncing on his heel as he covered his  _red(?)_ face in embarrassment, pouting at matthew as he guffawed at him.

“brian?” woosung had asked, peering at him in confusion with his head cocked to the side.

sheepishly, younghyun had waved a hand towards woosung dismissively, feeling a blush settle across his cheek.

“younghyun? is something wrong?” ayeon had asked, her hands finding younghyun’s across the table.

“everything’s fine.” younghyun had replied, wondering why his cheeks had grown warmer. 

_oh god,_ younghyun sighs, recalling how the first two incidents that had came to his mind with jaehyung had  _only_ been when jaehyung had been ignoring him, and not just after-

 

“younghyun! are you there?” the emphasis of his name wafting through his phone snaps younghyun out of his thoughts, and he inwardly groans.  _fuck_. ayeon sounds worried, albeit irked, and younghyun feels guilt pool within him as the realisation of what’s about to happen hits him.  _they’re going to stop seeing each other._

“y-yea, i’m there,” younghyun manages stutters out, after a brief moment.

_“_ i know that you didn’t hear a word of what i just said.” ayeon laughs. the sound is bright and happy, and to younghyun, it is reminiscent of the tinkling welcome bells in the cafe.

“look... younghyun. i understand. it’s jae, isn’t it?” ayeon questions, threading over the subject carefully. “...i could tell. really, it was one-hundred percent absolutely obvious.”

“ayeon... i’m so sorry. i shouldn’t have-” younghyun chokes out, feeling the shallow waves of guilt which had been slowly been ebbing away in his heart threatening to spill over.

“younghyun. it’s fine. we weren’t being serious, anyway. i completely understand. honestly, i’m a little upset, but i’ll be alright. i’m not angry at you.” ayeon’s voice soothes younghyun’s worries like a balm, and while he hates himself for having ayeon to comfort him despite him being the one fucking up their relationship, younghyun let’s himself soak up her words.

“we’re still good, yeah?” ayeon says, with the lack of younghyun’s response. “i’ll be going now. we can get coffee sometime, after you and jae get together. bye, younghyun.”

the call ends with a  _click_ , and younghyun’s screen fades to black before it lights up once more with new texts from ayeon.

 

_[9:42]_

_**ayeon:**_ cheer up!!

_**ayeon:**_ TT

_**ayeon:**_ just because we’re not casually seeing each other anymore doesn’t mean that i have anything against you, okay!!

 

younghyun beams at the messages displayed on his screen, typing a message of thanks to ayeon before taking a screenshot of the conversation with the intention of sending it to jaehyung.

despite jaehyung continuously shooting down every attempt by younghyun to engage in conversation with him, it did nothing to crack a dent in the resolve of younghyun getting jaehyung to talk to him again. younghyun was anything but discouraged, instead spurred to break down whatever wall that has been fortified between him and his best friend.

hence, naturally younghyun planned to send screenshots to jaehyung on his recent conversation with ayeon.

just as the screenshot was sent to jaehyung, younghyun received another message.

 

_[9:44]_

_**ayeon:**_ hope things go well betw you and jae!

**_ayeon:_** ask him out alr eady!!!!!

_**ayeon:**_ ;-)

 

_... ayeon hopes that things will go well between jae and i? wait, didn’t she say earlier that i’m interested in jae? what does she mean-_

younghyunlets out a quiet gasp.

younghyun dials sungjin’s number with shaking fingers. his voice is laced with trepidation, as he confesses to sungjin, “help, sungjin. i’m in a dilemma... i think i’m in love with jae.”

“uh... i’m not sungjin.”

fuck _._ that voice _really_ doesn’t belong to sungjin. it’s-

jaehyung clears his throat awkwardly. “bribri?”

_fuckfuckfuckfuckfuck._

the tension in the air was so incredibly thick, neither jaehyung nor younghyun believed that a knife could cut through it, figuratively speaking. in his head, younghyun scorns himself at how... how things have escalated like  _this_. just two weeks ago, he and jaehyung had found themselves in a similar situation like  _this_  - one of them avoiding the other’s gaze, seating beside each other on jaehyung’s bed, with a deafening silence swallowing them up whole.

this time, however, they’re in younghyun’s room, and jaehyung isn’t the only one feeling shy. this time, they’re seated as far away from each other as possible; both of them perched at opposite ends of younghyun’s bed.

the silence stretched between them was like a gaping void, demanding to be filled with sounds, words, anything. younghyun struggles to think up a way of how he could pull apart the awkwardness lodged between him and jaehyung, when he hears him swallow and take in a deep breath.

“brian... d-did you mean what you said earlier?” jaehyung murmurs quietly, head craning around to look at younghyun. younghyun thinks he sees sadness and fear brim in his eyes and... something else which younghyun can’t seem to figure out.

younghyun draws in a shallow breath, before forcing himself to return jae’s gaze. “jae, i’m sorry, i wasn’t think straight,” he starts, but the words catch in his throat as he sees jaehyung’s eyes well up in tears, his full lips quivering in trepidation.

finally, younghyun understands the tangible fear wholly evident in jaehyung’s eyes. younghyun sees himself reflected in jaehyung’s eyes, knows that the fear he’s having mirrors younghyun’s, joined by  _something more_. they both know that something’s going to change; with a high probability of it being for the definite worse - somehow, there’s a chance that they’re both going to be left heartbroken; they’re going to have their hearts shattered, because-

“i like you, a lot. i meant what i said on the phone.”  _vulnerability. the possibility of being rejected,_ younghyun knows, yet chooses to admit, daring to name what that  _something_  was in jaehyung’s eyes.

“what?” jaehyung replies, completely caught off guard, feeling himself flush with surprise. without thinking, he instinctively reels back in surprise, and the sudden motion disorients him. jaehyung extends a hand behind him in hopes of steadying himself by grabbing a fistful of the soft cotton of younghyun’s blanket, but is met with nothingness as he stumbles backwards onto the edge of the bed.

“fuck-“ jaehyung curses, his eyes widening a fraction as he feels himself tumble backwards. jaehyung shuts his eyes as he braces impact, expecting to fall on his back onto younghyun’s floor when a hand clutches tightly onto his wrists.

“got you.” younghyun pulls jaehyung forward, who reddens even more as he’s hauled close to younghyun. the close proximity causes jaehyung’s heart to thump wildly in his chest, coupled with the embarrassment of his best friend’s confession to him alongside him nearly falling over.

_how did we end up like this? oh my god i actually almost fell over because he told me he liked me. wait what the FUCK-_

“are you okay?” younghyun’s says, voice feather-light as he freed his grip on younghyun’s hand to instead cup jaehyung’s face. mustering up his confidence, younghyun leans in to wipe away jaehyung’s tears with the pads of his thumbs.

“b-bri... oh my god that was so smooth. what the fuck,” jaehyung cries, partially due to the happiness slowly erupting within him; hands shaking as he lifts them to wrap around younghyun’s forearms. “how the fuck are you suddenly so confident... bribri what the fuck?”

in response to jaehyung, younghyun chortles before fixing him with a fond look; overwhelming jaehyung with how endearing it is.

“i don’t know. i just suddenly thought  _ah, might as well expose everything, what’s the worse that could happen?_ ” younghyun reasons, as they both feel the tension in the room dissipate into nothingness.

“anyway,” younghyun says, suddenly thinking that confessing to jaehyung isn’t as difficult as he had initially made it out to be like, five minutes ago. “i like you. a lot. i think i have for a long while now, but it never really hit me til’... you know, just now. ayeon decided that we should stop seeing each other, because i was in love with you. i thought over what she told me in my head... and yeah. i - i love you, jae.”

younghyun’s eyes flicker across jaehyung’s face, whose expression goes soft as younghyun moves a hand to brush against the fall of jaehyung’s hair where it obscures his eyes and urge back the weight of it. jaehyung draws in a breath as younghyun’s fingers card through his hair with delicate intent before sliding down to cup his face once more to collide their lips together in a soft kiss. emboldened by the lack of resistance from jaehyung, younghyun‘s palms curl in to press jaehyung’s hair close to the side of his head as he deepens the kiss for a moment before they both pull away, gasping for air.

“i love you too,” jaehyung says, in a daze from the close contact because  _oh my god kang younghyun just kissed me._ “for some time now, too. that’s why i was ignoring you, i-“

jaehyung is silenced with a peck on his lips, younghyun grinning at him happily.

“we’re so stupid.”

jaehyung’s eye twitches, just like it always does, but somehow it makes younghyun’s heart flutter and surge with affection.

“so. you’re my boyfriend now, right?” jaehyung chirps, giggling as he clings to younghyun.

younghyun snorts, hands around jaehyung’s waist. “if it wasn’t any more obvious, yes, i’m yours, and you’re mine too.” he thinks it sounds overly cheesy, but younghyun relents, because he knows that he’s been dying to utter the words out loud for some time now, even if he’s only found out about it mere hours ago.

“i love you, younghyun. bribri.”

“i love you too, jae.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> my first multi-chaptered fic is done!!!!!!! aaaaaaa  
> please do let me know what you thought of it! thank you for reading !! <3
> 
> also ,, i always see ppl drop their twit here so: mine's tuneslut :)


End file.
